TAINTED INNOCENCE

Chapter 9

A semi-formal party in a private bar owned by Jules (Dom's Bestfriend). Dominic invited Bella to come.

“Ang sexy mo ngayon, girl. Bagay sa’yo yung black.”

Si Trisha ‘to, obviously tipsy na, habang hinahaplos-haplos yung likod ng dress ko. Tiningnan ko lang siya at ngumiti, pilit. I should feel good tonight—I’m wearing Dominic’s favorite color. I curled my hair just like how he likes it. I even wore red lipstick kahit bawal sa office.

Pero wala siya sa tabi ko.

Nandun siya. Sa kabilang side ng lounge, talking to some investors—at least that’s what Jules said. And beside him...

God.

Si Celine.

She walked in like she owned the damn place. Legs for days. Body na parang sinadya para i-flex. And that voice—sweet pero may lason. I hated how she leaned close to him. How her hand touched his arm. How he didn’t even move away.

I took another sip of wine. Mali. Diretso shot na.

I poured one from the nearby tray, ignoring Trisha’s look.

“Uy, ‘wag ka na uminom. Girl, umiinit na yung tenga mo.”

“Mainit lang talaga dito,” I said, too quickly. Liar.

I watched them. Dominic wasn’t even smiling—but he wasn’t pushing her away either. His expression was that same blank, unreadable wall that always made me feel like I was guessing.

She laughed at something he said.

He smirked.

Napakapit ako sa glass.

So... ganun siya ngumiti sa iba?

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I turned around, heading straight to the restroom. My heels clicking fast against the marble floor, chest tight. I needed to breathe. Or scream. Or both.

Pagpasok ko sa CR, dun ko lang na-realize... nanginginig pala kamay ko.

Jealousy.

Putangina. I’ve never felt this kind of burn before.

Hindi siya yung kilig-jealousy. Hindi siya cute.

It was f*****g ugly.

It felt like someone reached inside my ribs and twisted my heart.

Am I just a toy? A passing thrill?

I wanted to slap myself for thinking that, pero hindi ko mapigilan.

I’m not even his girlfriend.

Just his little secret.

Knock knock.

“Bella.”

His voice.

I turned toward the door. s**t. Did I lock it?

“Can you open this?” he said, calm but low.

I hesitated.

Ayoko siyang makita. Pero gusto ko siyang makita.

Gusto ko siyang murahin. Gusto ko siyang halikan.

Gago siya. Ang gulo niya.

But I opened the door anyway.

He stepped inside fast, closing and locking the door behind him. Wala siyang pakialam. As always.

“Bakit ka umalis nang bigla?” tanong niya.

“Tinatamad na ako,” I muttered, crossing my arms.

“Really?” Nilapit niya ang katawan niya. “O nagseselos ka?”

That word.

Selos.

I snapped. “Anong pakialam mo kung nagseselos ako? Eh hindi mo naman ako girlfriend, ‘di ba?”

His jaw ticked. “So you were jealous.”

“Don’t twist it,” I hissed. “Nakakainis ka.”

Dominic stepped closer. Napaatras ako, hanggang maramdaman ko na yung sink sa likod ko. He caged me in with his arms, both hands flat against the counter.

“Celine means nothing to me.”

“Hindi ‘yan ang itsura ng ‘nothing’!”

He leaned in, his voice like smoke. “You know why I didn’t stop her?”

Tahimik ako.

“Because I wanted to see how you'd react.”

Napakunot ang noo ko. “What?”

“Gusto kong malaman kung sa’kin ka na talaga.”

He tilted his head. “At ngayon, sigurado na ako.”

I tried to push him. “Dominic, tangina mo—”

He grabbed my wrists, pinning them against the marble.

“Don’t curse at me,” he whispered darkly. “Especially not when you look this fuckable.”

His lips crashed against mine.

God.

I hated how easily I melted. How my body betrayed my pride.

I kissed him back with all the anger and longing I had.

His hands dropped from my wrists, now gripping my waist, pulling me closer. Our tongues tangled. His mouth was hot, desperate. Possessive. He kissed me like he needed to remind me—I’m his.

He pulled away, panting against my lips. “You’re mine.”

I didn’t answer.

“You belong to me, Bella. Not to anyone else. Not to Jules, not to some rich boy you’ll date later para matakasan ‘to. And definitely not to your dreams of being a good girl.”

His mouth moved to my neck.

“Don’t—”

But he didn’t listen.

He kissed. He licked. He bit.

A mark.

On my neck. Then another. On my collarbone.

He held my chin. “Look at me.”

I looked.

“Now everyone will know you’re taken.”

“By who?” I challenged. “A man who flirts with his ex in public?”

Slap.

Not on my cheek—on my pride.

He smiled. “You’re learning how to fight me. Good.”

Then he pulled me into one last kiss—deeper, slower. This time, it felt like a promise.

Or a threat but I'm still jealous. Yes I'm jealous and it frastrates me.

DOMINIC’S POV

She’s trembling.

Not out of fear—pero dahil sa halo-halong emotions na ayaw pa rin niyang ipakita sa’kin. That’s what drives me f*****g insane about her. She tries to act brave, strong, matapang... but the moment you peel back the surface, she’s just a girl who wants to be wanted.

I lift her chin again, slowly this time.

“Bella.”

She doesn’t look at me. She’s staring at the floor, biting her lip.

“Look at me, baby.”

Mahina, pero firm. She finally raises her eyes—doe-like, confused, and burning with questions.

“Celine means nothing.”

She scoffs. “You kissed her before. You slept with her. How am I supposed to compete with that?”

Napangiti ako, pero hindi dahil natutuwa ako—because she still doesn’t get it.

I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, voice low.

“Listen to me carefully. I’ve had women, yes. Madami. I never lied about that.”

She flinches slightly.

“But no one ever made me feel... unhinged. No one ever made me want to f*****g burn down everything just to keep them close. Except you.”

Her breath catches.

“I only want you, Bella.”

Tahimik.

“Pag pinagmamasdan mo ko with those wide eyes na parang lahat ng galaw ko may meaning, I lose focus. Pag tumatawa ka, gusto kong tapusin lahat ng tawanan sa mundo just to hear only yours.”

Hinawakan ko ang waist niya, gentle this time. Pulling her flush against my chest.

“Pag nagseselos ka, I don’t get annoyed. I get turned on. Because it means... you want me as much as I want you.”

She looks up again, mouth parted.

“I don’t care if Celine walks naked in front of me, Bella. I’d still want you.”

She swallows.

“And when I say you’re mine, I’m not just claiming your body. I’m claiming every look, every thought, every f*****g heartbeat.”

“Dominic...”

“Shhh.” I press a finger to her lips.

“I know you’re scared. You’ve never done this before. You’re lying to your parents, sneaking around, second-guessing every decision. But I will never lie to you about this.”

I move closer, forehead pressed against hers.

“You are the only one I want.”

Silence.

Then her hands slowly reach up to my chest, gripping my shirt. Soft, unsure.

“I hate how much I believe you,” she whispers.

I grin.

“You should.”

And then I kiss her—not like earlier—not like I want to consume her.

But like I need her.

Because I f*****g do.

BELLA’S POV

No one’s ever said anything like that to me.

Not even the flings I had before na waley naman talaga.

No one ever said “I want you” and made it feel like a f*****g vow.

But Dominic just did.

And I don’t know whether to run…

Or fall harder.

I don’t know how we ended up like this again.

One second he was whispering words that melted all the jealousy in my chest...

The next, we’re tangled against the bathroom wall—lips swollen, breathing ragged, my hands gripping his shoulders like I’ll fall apart without him.

“Mine,” he growls against my neck, voice rough.

I gasp when he lifts me effortlessly, pinning me with his hips. My dress rides up dangerously high. His hand cups the back of my thigh, fingers digging into soft flesh.

“Dom...”

“Ssshhh.” He kisses the shell of my ear, then trails down—slow and hot—along my jaw, my throat.

“Wala akong pake kahit sabihin nilang obsessed ako,” he whispers.

Then his lips land on my collarbone.

Soft kiss.

Then another.

Then—suck.

“A-ah—D-Dominic...”

He hums darkly against my skin, and I feel the pull—slow, intentional, claiming. His teeth graze me lightly before he sucks harder. The sensation sends a jolt between my legs, and I squirm instinctively in his arms.

“Stay still, baby.”

“Y-You’re leaving a mark—”

“That’s the point.”

He kisses the spot again, then moves an inch lower, sucking another one. Then another. My body’s arching into him, overwhelmed.

“D-Dom... sobrang dami na—”

“I want everyone to know you’re mine.”

Another hickey, this time dangerously close to the top of my breast.

My breathing turns shallow. I try to push him gently, but he grabs both my wrists with one hand and pins them above my head.

“Walang magtatago sa’kin, Bella. Even your skin will scream my name.”

God. Why does that turn me on so much?

He looks up at me, eyes dark, hair disheveled, lips red from marking me like a f*****g canvas.

“I like you best when you look ruined,” he murmurs.

I shiver. Not from cold.

From the way he’s owning me in pieces.

DOMINIC’S POV

I pull back to admire my work.

Her neck, chest, shoulder—a galaxy of red and purple blooming across flawless skin. Marks no makeup can completely hide. And that’s exactly what I want.

“You’ll look at yourself in the mirror tomorrow and remember this.”

She bites her lip, chest heaving.

“You’ll go home and hide it from your parents, but it’ll still be there. I’ll still be there.”

She closes her eyes. One single tear slips out.

“Hey.”

I press my thumb against her cheek, brushing it away.

“You okay?”

She nods. Barely.

“I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”

“You don’t need to,” I whisper, pulling her against me again. “Just let me do the thinking. All you have to do is feel.”

I barely recognize myself in the mirror.

My lips? Swollen.

My neck? Destroyed.

May lima—hindi, anim—na hickeys. Parang pininturahan ako gamit ang halik niya. My dress is crumpled. My thighs are still trembling.

Putangina, what did I just let him do?

“Dom... I have to go.” I fix my hair in a panic. “What if someone—”

“Relax.” He leans against the bathroom doorway, shirt unbuttoned halfway, a smirk playing on his lips. “You look sexy.”

“Hindi nga!” Hinampas ko siya lightly sa chest. “I look like I got attacked by a vampire.”

“Correction,” he murmurs as he traps me between the counter and his body, “You got attacked by your man.”

“Stop!” I’m laughing—nervous, breathless—but I push him away. “Baka may makakita.”

As if summoned by fate—

“Bella?”

We both freeze.

OH. MY. GOD.

That voice. That pitch. That sarcastic bratty energy.

“Bianca?!”

I practically shove Dominic away and bolt for the door.

Too late.

Nakatayo na siya sa hallway, arms crossed, raising a brow like she just won the damn lottery.

She looks from me... to Dominic... to my neck... then back to Dominic.

“Wow,” she says slowly. “So this is where ate Bella disappears to?”

“Bianca!” I grab her arm, dragging her away. “This isn’t what it looks like—”

“Really?” She eyes my hickeys. “Kasi parang mukha siyang exactly what it looks like.”

I am mortified. As in, buried six feet deep kind of mortified.

“Please don’t tell mom and dad,” I whisper.

She taps her chin, pretending to think. “Hmm. Tempting. But... I won’t.”

I blink. “Wait—really?”

She shrugs, then smirks. “If you give me what I want.”

Oh God. Here it comes.

“Bianca…”

She leans in, whispering, “I want access to your closet. For one month. No limits.”

“What?!”

“Or... I could just mention to dad that you’ve been sucking face with the Valencia boy.”

“You’re evil.”

She grins. “I know. So... deal?”

I groan. “Fine. Deal.”

“Pleasure doing business with you,” she says sweetly, then winks at Dominic before walking away. “Nice marks, kuya Dom.”

Dominic just laughs. The audacity.

I slump against the wall, covering my face with both hands.

“What. Just. Happened.”

He wraps an arm around my waist. “You just got blackmailed by a sixteen-year-old.”

“Seventeen.”

“Still terrifying.”

We both laugh, but deep inside, my stomach twists.

If Bianca found out... how much longer until everyone else does?

“Anak, saan ka na naman galing?”

My mom’s voice slices through the quiet dining room the moment I step inside.

Napaigtad ako. Gabi na—almost midnight. I thought I could sneak in.

“Work,” I lie, avoiding her eyes. “Nag-overtime kami ni Ma’am Tess. May shoot sa Makati bukas, kailangan ayusin ang mga layout.”

Half-true. May shoot nga bukas. Pero hindi ako galing sa office.

Galing ako kay Dominic.

My dad looks up from his glass of scotch. “Kasama mo ba si Trisha?”

“Uh, yes po. Kami lang.”

Another lie. Trisha doesn’t even know I’ve been seeing him again.

“Bakit hindi ka nag-text?” Elena frowns. “You know we worry.”

“I lost signal,” I say quickly. “I’m sorry, mom. Next time I’ll make sure to update.”

She studies my face for a moment. I try not to blink too much, kahit na ang lakas ng t***k ng puso ko.

Finally, she sighs. “Go upstairs. Magpahinga ka na. You look tired.”

“Yes, mom. Good night.”

I practically sprint to my room, shutting the door behind me like I just escaped from prison.

This is getting out of control.

I look at my reflection in the vanity mirror. The makeup I smeared on my neck is fading. The faint purple bruise of Dominic’s possessive kiss is still there.

Putangina, what am I doing?

Next Morning

“Elena, have you seen Bella’s charger? I think she left it in my car,” my dad calls out from the foyer.

I freeze on the stairs.

Shit.

I never rode his car home last night. I told them Trisha dropped me off.

“Bella?” he turns to me. “Did you take the SUV yesterday?”

“Uh—yes po! Pa-travel kasi ‘yung gamit sa office. Na-late ako kaya pinahiram ni Ma’am Tess ng sasakyan niya. Pero SUV po ‘yun, black, same as ours.”

He raises an eyebrow, half-believing.

“You really should ask permission next time.”

“Yes, pa. Sorry po.”

I smile sweetly, pero ang lamig ng pawis ko. I rush to my room again before I say anything stupid.

Later that Day – Phone Call with Dominic

DOMINIC: “You okay, baby?”

BELLA: “No. I'm a compulsive liar now.”

He chuckles. “It’s just a few harmless lies. You’re protecting something important.”

BELLA: “That ‘something’ is you.”

DOMINIC: “Exactly.”

His voice dips, dark and low. “You’re mine. I don’t want anyone else touching what’s mine.”

Despite the guilt, despite the stress—I shiver.

My body still aches from last night.

And my heart?

It wants him. It wants the danger.